The Heart
by LFFL Collective
Summary: Strange, dark magic is taking over the Labyrinth. The Heart is missing, and The Goblin King is weak. Enter The Champion, but beware, Sarah, for your heart is next on the list. Can Jareth protect them both as well as his kingdom's denizens, and what will it be the cost?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Something was very, very wrong.

It had been some time since she'd called on her friends in the mirror. So when her family went to church that Sunday, Sarah feigned obligations, saying that she had homework to complete. The rain started as they left, quickly turning to a torrential downpour. She sat before her vanity and looked into the mirror, calling for Hoggle. The first thing she noticed was the darkness behind his eyes.

She tried asking him what was wrong, but he shrugged it off, explaining that the Underground was simply going through a change and it wasn't anything for her to worry about.

Another week went by and she tried again, but this time no one answered. Swallowing nervously, she sat at her vanity, staring into the mirror and calling everyone she could think of to appear to her – even the fieries.

No one answered.

Finally, calming her nerves with a steady breath, she called on him. "I wish to speak to the Goblin King, right now."

Nothing happened.

Officially worried, she reached for the Labyrinth book by her bedside and opened the pages. A sliver of fear went through her when she realized the ink was fading. What's going on!?

Bolting upright, she leaned over her dresser and shouted into the mirror. "Hoggle? Ludo? Didymus? Jareth? Where are you!?"

No one answered, but the mirror slowly rippled. Nervous, and frightened for her friends, she climbed through without a second thought.

As she emerged on the other side of the mirror, she immediately knew that something was wrong. To the untrained eye, nothing would have appeared to be out of the ordinary, but Sarah could FEEL the difference. The Labyrinth wasn't as "alive" as she remembered. There was no rustling, and no background hum of goblins. There wasn't even any wind. Everything was unsettlingly still.

Sarah swallowed back her fear and did a slow turn, staring around her and into the distance. The silence was eerie and made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. The only thing that seemed to be moving were the clouds- great black billows that swirled ominously overhead.

Gathering her courage, she moved towards the Labyrinth's entrance, unnerved by the lack of fairies around. Trees still grew, the moss was still green, the flowers and weeds still blossomed out of control, but everything seemed muted, withering almost.

She approached the door and stopped, gasping as she stared at it.

Huge, sprawling veins of wicked cracks had made it so insidiously weak that it was wide open and falling apart into dust. Sarah carefully stepped over the rubble and instinctively began to trace the steps from her run. With any luck, a certain worm would still be available to give her some answers.

Sarah had more trouble finding the worm's residence than she would have liked to admit. She moved down the corridor for what seemed like forever, keeping her eyes at knee level.

Finally, she noticed a weak glow coming from the tiny entrance to the worm's home. She crouched down and attempted to peer inside.

"Hello?"

There was no response so she tried again.

"Hello, anyone home?"

The tiny door opened slowly. "Did you say 'allo?"

Sarah smiled to herself, "No, I said 'Hello'. But that's close enough."

The little door creaked all the way open and a little pink worm came wriggling out eagerly. She had a small purple bow in her fur, and her eyes were rimmed red from exhaustion and grief.

"My sweet husband used to make that joke! Oh please Miss, have you seen him? He hasn't been home in days. I woke up one morning and he was just gone! I've been beside meself with worry!" The tiny creature burst into desperately hopeful tears.

Sarah stared, at a loss for what to say; but something inside her shattered a little as she watched the small pink worm cry.

"I don't, no. But I'm going to try and find out. I'm also looking for him and my friends. Want to join me? Maybe you can fill me in on what's happened here."

She turned her head and looked around the Labyrinth, trying to keep a jovial tone of voice despite the worry and fear beginning to crowd inside her head.

She didn't know why, but she knew they didn't have a lot of time to solve the mystery about what had happened to the Labyrinth.

The small worm shook off her tears as would a dog, and said, "I should like that very much, thank you." A quiver was still in her voice, but determination was in her eyes.

Sarah carefully took her in hand and placed her gently upon her shoulder before setting off again at a much quicker pace. "We'll get to the bottom of this... somehow. I don't understand what is going on here. I tried calling out to everyone. Even...Jareth, but there was just no answer. Where's all the magic? It feels so barren here." Sarah asked.

"I'm quite sure I don't know, Miss. Magic is the King's business. It's not for the like of a worm to understand."

Sarah sighed. She had hoped for an easy answer, but she wasn't really surprised. "I suppose we'll have to see if we can find someone else who can tell us what's going on. Do you know anyone who might be able to help us?"

"Nah, just a worm. My husband knew everyone, but I always preferred to stay home. Not much of a social butterfly- that was my grandmother."

Sarah began to go through the same passage she had last time when the worm suddenly yelped, "Wait! Go the other way! This way's the long way. Normally we would never recommend going directly to the King, but these be serious times."

"There's a short way?" Sarah asked.

"Of course Miss!"

"I wish I'd known that last time! I'll go as fast as I can, hold onto me tight little lady. Or, if you get scared, I can put you in the pocket of my shirt."

"Your shoulder is fine for now, Miss. I'll be alright. I just want to find my husband."  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Deep in the heart of the Labyrinth, it looked like there had been a war. Unconscious goblin bodies were strewn every which way, with many familiar faces amongst them. In the center of it all lay a tattered looking Jareth, holding what seemed to be a moss covered, pulsing heart. He was barely awake and partially covered in owl feathers.

Although he tried, he still could not piece together what had happened, except that something had begun to drain the Labyrinth of all her magic. When he went to investigate, the images blurred in his mind, refusing to become clear. The attempt strained the magic of the entire kingdom as the Labyrinth tried to right herself.

As Jareth had entered the cavern of her Heart, he'd called forth all of the Labyrinth's guardians to protect it. He'd reached the Heart itself and then… then…

Jareth groaned in frustration, tightening his grasp around the Heart of the Labyrinth in his hand, he tried once more to figure out what was happening. Despite his best efforts, the images blurred yet again. He screamed out in pain, feeling more bird than man the longer he held the pulsing heart.

Jareth felt himself losing consciousness. A silent whisper of a wish went up, a heartfelt call for the only Champion that had bested the Labyrinth and her King. Then he blacked out.

The ground shook beneath him, covering him in a fine layer of dust and stirring the feathers that he had started to sprout as he lost control. He lay like one dead until the decay that was starting to set in throughout the Labyrinth undermined a stone bench, sending it crashing to the ground. He awoke with a start, only to fall back to the ground with a groan.

Jareth was weak, and that feeling disgusted him. He drifted in and out of consciousness, unable to move. He didn't know who or what had tried to steal the Heart, only that it had almost succeeded. Clutching it firmly against his chest, he tried again to summon his owl form, only to fail once more.

"Sarah," he whispered. He felt his grip on wakefulness slipping and fought the sensation. He feared that if he lost consciousness now, whatever was after the Heart would succeed. "Hurry."

Unfortunately, blackness loomed, and he passed out.

A pair of unfamiliar black boots walked up and plucked the heart out from between Jareth's fingers.

"Finally," the voice hissed with pleasure.

Sarah and the Missus went as fast as they dared, having to dodge pieces of tree roots and logs along the way. It just couldn't be a simple straight run, of course. There were still obstacles blocking their path as they hurried through the stone corridors. She may not have a clue as to what happened, but Sarah did know that the closer they seemed to get to the center of the Labyrinth, the darker it got. It felt as if a giant cloud that was looming and growing, pulsating over the very center of the Labyrinth was getting thicker. And yet, the air was eerily still, like the calm before a storm.

The clouds roiled and Sarah started running as fast as she could, nearly tumbling the little pink worm off her shoulder as she did so. She grabbed her just in time and held her in her hands, trying to race against...something, she didn't know what. All she knew was that there was a sudden sense of urgency to her quest that had not been there before.

"Hurry! Somethings happened!" The worm shouted and she nodded, doing her best.

Sadly, it was too late, and the ground shook violently, throwing Sarah off her feet. She screamed, falling down a fissure that opened up in front of her. By sheer luck, she managed to hang onto the ledge with one hand, panting.

Many pairs of hands formed in the fissure around Sarah. They whispered among themselves, frightened. Their movements were erratic as they reached out and grabbed her. The hands touching her here, there, and everywhere.

Their grip firmed just in time. Sarah's fingers cramped and her grip on the ledge slipped. She yelped as she let herself falling, only to be caught by the many hands that had been touching her while she hung helplessly against the wall.

The whispering turned into a cacophony of voices as the Helping Hands all tried to speak at once. Sarah had to ask, calmly but firmly, that they speak one at a time. They didn't seem to hear her at first, so she asked again, raising her voice this time.

"Please! One at a time, please. I can't understand you when you all talk at once and we don't have time for this! I need to get to the King!" Although her words were polite, her voice was sharp and edged with anxiety.

The voices fell silent for a moment. Then the hands formed a face at her eye level and began to speak. These hands were obviously aged, with arthritic looking joints and fragile, papery skin. "Something has happened to the King, and the Labyrinth. Would you go up… or sideways?"

Sarah blinked. They did not offer to take her down as they did last time. She craned her neck, trying to see what was below her. Her eyes met only darkness. There was no hint of a bottom to the crevasse. She shuddered and quickly looked away, understanding why the Hands had not offered to take her down. Instead, Sarah looked around, taking stock of the other directions the Hands had offered to take her, pursing her lips as she thought about it.

Finally she said, "I suppose… that I'll go sideways since it's such a mess up there." She glanced up at the surface as she spoke, noting the debris that was still trickling into the the fissure full of Helping Hands.

"She chose sideways!" The Elder Hands proclaimed. The echoes rippled through the massive crack in the earth as the other hands gleefully reported her choice to others, like a game of whisper down the lane. Soon the chorus of voices swelled into a crescendo.

"She chose sideways!" the singsong voices giggled.

For a moment, Sarah wondered, much as she had the last time she had fallen into the clutches of the Helping hands, if she had made the best choice. As they maneuvered her into position she shrugged mentally. She had set out to find Jareth and her friends, and she was determined to succeed, come what may. If that meant traveling by means of he Helping Hands, then she would do it.

The hands began passing her down the length of the fissure. Sarah stared up at the edges that were practically flying by and realized that she was going much faster than she could have gone herself. That revelation allowed her to relax.

It felt a bit like crowd surfing, actually. Sarah marveled at how much better the experience was this time. As long as you didn't mind being manhandled and could deal with the occasional hand grabbing you in an inappropriate place, this wasn't actually a bad way to travel.

The abrupt end of her ride via Helping Hands was not so pleasant, however. They all but flung her into a winding cavern. She bounced painfully on her hip before rolling with the momentum, making sure to hold the Missus carefully.

"You ok?" She asked the little worm, looking her over to make sure that she was uninjured.

"Yep," the Missus squeaked, sounding a little breathless.

Sarah stood and dusted herself off, trying to make heads or tails of her new surroundings as she did so. She recognized several figures that could only be false alarms, although she had no way of knowing whether those were the exact same ones she had encountered on her last run or not.

Not far away from her was something new. Sarah didn't know whether she had simply missed it on her last run, or if the Labyrinth had hidden it from her and Hoggle as they made their way through the tunnels. Slashing through the solid wall of the tunnel was the entrance to a new cavern.

Deciding that she should go that way, Sarah turned to thank the Helping Hands, only to cry out in horror as she watched the Fissure crumble. The Helping Hands melted away to nothing and she was left staring at a jagged, dark hole where they had once been. She covered her mouth to stop the cries of shock and grief that seemed to well up from her very heart and jumped back from the now menacing fissure.

She heard a soft moan of dismay from the worm, and the noise of her companion brought her back to her senses. There was still a puzzle to solve. Sarah straightened her back and turned toward the entrance to the new tunnel.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Approaching the entrance to the new cavern, Sarah looked cautiously inside. What she saw caused her to throw caution to the wind and step through, looking around in awe.

The walls were etched with glowing runes and covered in complex, knotwork carvings. Growing over it all were thick vines, clinging tenaciously to the stonework and blocking some of the light from the runes. The entire effect was one of breathtaking beauty and ancient power, all written on the very foundations of the Labyrinth itself.

Realizing that she had been holding her breath until her lungs ached, Sarah let it out in an explosive puff. She wandered around looking closer at the walls for a few minutes, wondering what it meant and wishing that she could decipher the runes.

A sharp crack of thunder startled her and she climbed a nearby ladder. Coming out through a shattered pot, Sarah looked up in alarm to see that the roiling clouds that had been sitting ominously in the distance were starting to spread. Taking a deep breath, Sarah descended the ladder again, hurrying toward the center of the Labyrinth and the seething clouds above it. Her instincts told her that the source of the problem could be found at the core of the storm.

Her anxiety made her sharper than she meant to be. "Tell me what happened over the last week, every detail you know of- and leave nothing out," she barked at the worm who'd since settled in the front pocket of her shirt.

This wasn't a game any longer.

The Missus had very little little gossip from the castle to tell. All she was certain of was that her husband had been very worried.

"He wasn't his usual jovial self, if you understand my meanin'," she confessed to Sarah. "It worried me, 'specially when he started refusin' his daily cuppa!"

Sarah sympathized, but didn't see how the domestic habits of the Worms could be helpful. "Are you sure there wasn't anything he might have mentioned? Anything at all?"

The little, pink worm sniffled slightly before answering. Sadness tinged her lilting little voice as she spoke. "Mr. Worm- he never, ever refused a cuppa tea. In fact, I would dare say he lived by it. I just knew in my stomach there was something just not right, but he weren't sayin'. Too much of a gentleman, my Mr. Worm."

Sarah sighed, continuing deeper into the rune covered caverns. She had to get to the source, and she doubted there would be thirteen hours in which to do so. Still, she was in the Labyrinth. Things were not always as they seemed here. A small determined smile lit up her face and she held her head high. This would be a piece of cake.

Despite her gowing determination and confidence, Sarah knew that she would have to be careful. She didn't know what she was capable of doing to help Jareth and the others, but she would do her best. Just being around the runes somehow made her feel stronger, as though she were more than she had been when she arrived Underground.

The cavern finally emptied out into a great open area and Sarah started noticing goblin bodies cluttering the floor. Her hurried steps faltered and Sarah went still, looking around in horror. The worm in her pocket continued to ramble about the odd changes in the Labyrinth as the human woman focused on their surroundings, not noticing the carnage around them right away.

"There was this horrible storm, y'see, which was odd because we don't really have them, almost forgot what they felt like it's been so long, and that's about when the Mister wouldn't take his cuppa tea, too busy hurrying around the outside, talkin' with that grumpy gardener. That's the last I saw him..." the Missus trailed off, her voice falling silent as she finally took in their surroundings from her perch in Sarah's pocket.

"This...oh no! It's the Heart of the Labyrinth!" The Missus burst into terrified tears.

The entire area was cast in shadows, except for the illumination provided by the runes and glowing shards of crystal scattered among the debris and bodies surrounding her. Sarah shied away from looking at the bodies, trying instead to examine the surrounding details.

"The what?" Sarah blinked, studying the glowing crystal network that seemed to stretch for miles like veins. In the distance, up on a hill, they all converged in a standing stone shaped like a woman. However, it appeared there was a giant fissure down her center and something was missing. Beside it, out cold, was the Goblin King.

Sarah's first instinct was to run to Jareth as fast as she could, but she held back, forcing herself to proceed carefully. There was no denying the damage was extensive. The closer she got to the statue, the more bodies she saw. Steeling herself, Sarah started checking for pulses. Those she checked were alive, but deeply unconscious.

As she moved from body to body, Sarah's heart broke over and over. So many of the beautiful and unique creatures of the Labyrinth were sprawled, broken and battered, on the ground. Most were just barely hanging on, clinging to life by a thread.

There was no time to check everyone, but Sarah tried to find as many of her friends as possible. She cried out in sorrow when she came across Sir Didymus. Her hands shook as she checked for signs of life. When she felt his pulse under her fingers she let out a sigh of relief that sounded more like a sob. Gently, Sarah shook the little fox knight, trying to wake him. Despite her efforts, Didymus showed no signs of life, save for the steady throbbing of his pulse. Sarah checked nearby for Ambrosius, but he was nowhere to be seen.

The next familiar body she saw was Ludo. He was slumped against a boulder, surrounded by smaller rocks. Sarah knelt next to his massive body, softly petting the fur on the back of his hand as tears streamed down her cheeks. A single tear fell into his shaggy red fur as Sarah wiped her face, still trying valiantly not to let any of this get to her.

Standing, she sorrowfully left Ludo lying amongst his rocks and continued on toward the center, glancing at each body she passed. Finally, Sarah found what she was looking for. With a cry she threw herself down beside Hoggle. She held her tears back until she saw that Hoggle still sheltered the little body of Mr. Worm in the crook of his arm. Then, the tears dropped unheeded down her face as she gently set the sobbing Missus down next to her unconscious husband.

Checking Hoggle frantically, Sarah was relieved to find that he had the same slow, steady pulse as all of the others she had checked. She shook him, calling his name over and over through her small sobs. To her joy, his eyelids fluttered and he attempted to focus on her.

"Little Lady is that you? You shouldna be here," Hoggle rasped. "It ain't safe, even for-"

He coughed weakly and his voice dropped to barely a whisper. Sarah had to lean close to hear his words. "Not safe- even for the Labyrinth's Champion. Turn back…" Hoggle fought to maintain consciousness, but Sarah could clearly see that he was slipping away again. "Turn back before it's too late and you- you are taken... too... If they find- find out... you've... returned..." He lost his battle, passing out before he could finish.

Sarah wanted to shake him awake again, but resisted. "No, Hoggle." she sobbed brokenly. "I won't turn back, no- no matter what. Through dangers untold and- and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the Heart of the Labyrinth, and I will find a way to help you all."

As she spoke, her voice grew stronger and her tears stopped. She gently let go of his vest and cupped his cheek gently. As much as she would have liked to have his company and his council through this fight, she knew that he could do no more.

Sarah stood resolutely and looked around, dashing away the remains of her tears. Looking down one last time, Sarah spied the worms.

"Will he be okay?" she asked the Missus, who had curled herself up next to Mr. Worm.

"I think so, Champion. You must go. Help the King!"

Sarah smiled briefly down at the worms and the made her way to the Goblin King. Swallowing nervously, she knelt by his side.

She reached out to check him for signs of life as she had the others. Her hands shook badly and she had to pause to clench them together tightly, taking several deep breaths to steady herself. Seeing him like this, no matter their past history, broke her heart. Despite her resolve to be strong she sobbed once again, tears rolling down her cheeks and dripping off her chin to land on Jareth's face.

Unseen by Sarah, the tears soaked into Jareth's skin. His eyelids fluttered and he trilled weakly as more and more feathers began growing out of his body.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"What's happening?" She sobbed, staring as Jareth opened his mouth to answer her but finally transformed fully into an owl. He lay there, his wings outstretched, staring hard at her and hooting a warning that Sarah struggled to understand.

She heard a rumble of thunder in the distance and her head snapped up. Lightning flashed in across the sky, revealing a dark figure stalking toward her. Fear filled her and the blood turned to ice in her veins at the sight. Snatching Jareth and shoving him inside her shirt so he wouldn't fall loose, she took off running, not daring to look back.

"You can't hide from me forever, Champion! And neither can your pet King!"

The voice behind her blended into the thunder. A surge of fear lent her speed and she darted back quickly the way she came, trying her best to keep quiet. She sank into a darkened corridor that she had passed by on her way to the Heart of the Labyrinth. She needed to get her bearings and make her way to the castle. Once there, she might be able to bring Jareth back to his humanoid form and get answers- without having to confront the menacing figure outright just yet. She could tell she was currently no match for him - whatever he was - not yet.

Now in full owl form, Jareth hissed angrily and ruffled up his feathers in Sarah's shirt. Sarah glanced down at him. He looked more like a ball of feathers than a proper bird of prey. The sound of her rapidly pounding heart had echoed in his ear as she ran with him pressed against her body. He closed his eyes and listened to the comforting sound.

Just her mere presence was comforting. The magic of the Champion of the Labyrinth flowed out of her, washing over him in waves and making him feel stronger than he had in ages. However, just as he could feel the magic that radiated from her, so could the fae hunting them down. Worse, that fae also held the Heart of the Labyrinth.

The Heart was incredibly powerful. Jareth had spent years pouring magic into it, building it up until it was a bright beacon of power residing in the very center of his realm. The Labyrinth itself was a towering mass of magic, built upon the foundation of the magically enhanced corridors they were now running through. He had carved each rune, each design, himself. He had planted the vines with his own hands, infusing them with magic and nurturing them with his own blood and power, encouraging them to grow and spread, to become one with the magic in the runes and stones.

Despite all of his exhaustive work, the Labyrinth had begun to fail the minute Sarah left. Once she became the Champion, the Labyrinth could no longer survive without her. As soon as the veil had fallen closed behind her, cutting her off from the magic in his realm, the Labyrinth had begun to crumble and fade. Jareth could do nothing but watch and work to slow the decay, hoping that Sarah would return before it was too late.

Jareth had nearly despaired as he watched his kingdom wilt without the Champion. Now she was here, but he worried that it may already be too late. Once again, he cursed the ancient magic that had bound her to the kingdom as surely as he was bound. He had known that this would happen. If ever a runner succeeded in beating the Labyrinth to become it's champion. It was the reason he had fought each and every runner to a standstill, never letting them gain the upper hand. Sarah, however, was special. Her imagination and dreams held the purest of human hope and belief. A fact which had him distracted before she had ever wished away her baby brother.

Looking back on her run. Jareth was willing to admit that her absolute belief in him, so incredibly rare as to be almost unheard of, may have distracted, and attracted, him more than it should have. In his defense, he had not counted on her being so stubborn, or on her making friends of the denizens of the Labyrinth. What was even more surprising was her loyalty to those friends, and theirs to her. She valued those friendships. Even as she fought against their ruler, recruiting them to her cause in the process. Her loyalty and belief, as well as her strength of will, were all qualities he respected, even as they vexed him to no end. Regardless of how special Sarah was, however, his loss at her hands still rankled in spite of his admiration for her.

Jareth was jarred out of his thoughts as Sarah nearly tripped. He made a noise that was halfway between a hoot and a screech as she steadied herself and looked back and forth between the various paths that she might take, trying to figure out which way to go. He would have to pay more attention to where she was taking him.

When she started down the wrong pathway, he hissed loudly. Sarah paused and looked down at him, still nested in her shirt. "What? Is he getting closer?" She looked back over her shoulder fearfully.

Jareth hissed again and ruffled his feathers to get her attention. She took a few more steps down the wrong path. She was so focused on their pursuer that she completely missed his attempts to communicate. Jareth hissed again, attempting to beat his wings. Sarah stopped short and looked down at him again.

"What!?"

He hissed and looked pointedly at the path he wanted her to she took a few steps in that direction, he trilled happily.

"You- you want me to go that way?"

Once again he trilled and Sarah headed off, this time in the right direction.

He now made a point of paying close attention to where they were headed. Whenever she seemed to start down the wrong path, he hissed loudly. When she went in the direction he wanted, he trilled to let her know. It wasn't the best form of communication. But he didn't have the strength to shift back to his humanoid form. As he did so, he held as still as possible, letting her alien and yet somehow familiar magic seep into him as they traveled.

Sarah edged along an unfamiliar part of the Labyrinth, Jareth still tucked safely in her shirt. The top of his owlish head poked out from the rim of her neckline as he kept watch on where they were going.

"Why is everything so dark?" she whispered, tiptoeing past what appeared to be sleeping golems made of roughly hewn rock and etched runes. She shuddered at seeing their faces. The gaping mass of their mouths was tinged red. Letting her know they'd recently harmed or killed whatever they'd opposed.

As she slipped past them, the magic invisibly wafting off her woke one, it's runes beginning to pulse a soft, glowing red. Neither Sarah nor Jareth noticed.

Jareth's head swiveled back and forth, watching everything around them as well as he could. The Labyrinth, like all other things in the Underground, was not tame and could be very dangerous. Especially as you got closer to the center. The deeper one went into the ancient caverns, the more and more things would awaken to guard from outsiders. Those who were not supposed to be wandering around rarely survived.

Jareth wished fervently that he could turn back and guide Sarah properly. But until he had absorbed enough of the Champion's magic to do so he would have to do the best he could in owl form. He watched their surroundings nervously. Once woken, the stone golems would take no prisoners and hear no pleas. They were powered by pure magic and imbued with a single purpose, to protect the the Labyrinth. They knew nothing and felt nothing. Except the drive to eliminate any threat they detected.

Jareth briefly wondered if awakening a golem might not be a good idea. If he could get one to recognize him as the Goblin King he might be able to command it. He discarded the idea with a mental snort. The amount of magic he would have to expend just to get the attention of one of the thick headed guardians was beyond his abilities at this moment. _I can't even change back from my avian form,_ he thought in disgust. _How am I supposed to command one of the ancient guardians?_

All he could do for now was continue to guide Sarah to the safe place he knew was ahead. He trilled and hissed as necessary, praying that the ancient golems would remain quiescent.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Sarah's nervousness and fear were finally abating some, allowing her guard to drop. As she traveled, following Jareth's directions as best as she could, she felt like they'd finally made progress. They seemed to have put whatever or whoever that person was behind them. They had even moved past almost the last of the golems when the noise began.

She and Jareth both froze before slowly back the way they had come.

It had started as a crumble of shifting boulders, easily dismissed by the average ear. Then the crumble turned to a crashing, crackling, grinding sound that plucked cruelly at the senses. Like nails on a chalkboard.

That's when it swung, a horrible nightmarish noise escaping its razor sharp maw.

Sarah screamed and staggered back into another gollum, the magic also waking this one.

She turned and bolted, clutching Jareth to her.

The golems were changing. That was obvious to Jareth. The once sacred protectors were succumbing to something very, very dark. They had a nightmarish quality now. Never before had they been so bloodthirsty. This changed only served to highlight how much control he had lost when he lost the Heart.

Jareth had a hard time thinking with Sarah's heart pounding in his ear as she ran. His distraction was so great that they almost missed the unseen entrance to the secret area that would keep them safe for a little while. He trilled loudly when he realized where they were, activating the magical barrier that was for him and him alone. There was a loud pop as it pulled them into the little bubble of safety.

The odd feel of a magic that was him in its purest form wrapped around them as they slid into the confines of his private chambers. When Jareth had bonded with the Labyrinth, the ancient magic had required him to create a place that existed as nothing but his magical energy. It had been a monumental task, but one that he had considered well worth the time and effort. Once he had succeeded in creating this place, the Labyrinth had incorporated it into its foundation. Growing around it and burying it deeply within her defenses and magic.

The last time Jareth had been here was right after Sarah had beaten the Labyrinth and rejected him. Needless to say, he had not been in the best mood at that time. As a result, there were pillows all over the place and it was more than a little bit of a mess. Embarrassed, Jareth hid his face and hoped Sarah wouldn't notice that Lancelot was in the center of the nest of pillows that dominated the room. All tucked up as though someone had been sleeping curled up around him.

Sarah tripped over a pillow as soon as they fell into the safe room. The sound of the golem pounding against the outside of the entrance faded into the distance; the savage frustration of the blows muted by the magical barrier that protected them for the time being.

"Don't worry, they can't get in." A soft baritone voice whispered near her ear.

Sarah jerked her gaze up and found Jareth's face a mere few inches from hers. She swallowed nervously and studied him for a moment, feeling her face heat, then scrambled back a few feet.

"You're...back..." She started lamely then let her eyes wander. She blinked, her eyes spotting Lancelot before glancing back at him.

He stood and straightened his clothes, seemingly ignoring her odd stare. "Come," he said, starting to walk towards a shelf against the far wall.

Outwardly, Jareth maintained a stoic mask, but inside he was a chaotic mess of emotions. He tried his best to push them all aside and focus on the task at hand. He adjusted his leather vest again, feeling the goosebumps all over as Sarah's magic leaked out into his own. Never before had even a trace of anyone else, or any other magic but his own, entered this place. Lancelot didn't count, as far as Jareth was concerned. The bear had been Sarah's happy place until she ran the Labyrinth. When she had rejected him, he had sought some way of remaining close to her.

He let a little smile cross his face as he thought back on Sarah's expression when he finally shifted back. He'd only had a moment to watch her but he had taken full advantage of even that little bit of time. His heart had contracted at the sight of her. She was even more beautiful than she had been the last time she was underground. Jareth had allowed himself a brief moment to admire her before he noted her tired but determined expression.

As much as he felt for her, now was not the time to indulge in those feelings. Her determination and bravery in coming to help him were far more important at the moment. Jareth bit his lower lip and made a gesture over the shelf before him, watching it reveal what had been hidden for so long. He reverently lifted the book from its resting place before turning back to Sarah with a drawn and serious expression.

"The Heart of the Labyrinth is in the hands of another. It's...vitally important we return it. I fear, Sarah, that our foe wants your heart as well. If he manages to get both..." he trailed off, not wanting to frighten her more than he already had, hearing her sharp intake of breath as he spoke.

He held the book in his arms and moved toward her, stopping to look closely at her. She seemed almost ready to bolt so he grabbed one of her shoulders to steady her.

"Sarah," he spoke firmly but gently, giving her time to look back at him. He forced his feelings down deep inside him, hiding them from view, keeping his gaze strong. "I won't let that happen."

She swayed briefly on her feet but nodded, looking down at the tome in his hands. "What's that?"

She reached out and touched the cover of the ancient book. The feel of her magic as it coursed through the book jolted up his arm made him stiffen to avoid shivering. Despite the goosebumps that were spreading across his skin anew, he schooled his expression and retained his perfectly calm demeanor.

"When the first king of the Goblin Kingdom came here and sought to gain control over the Labyrinth, he found it to be a complex and changeable place. To help himself, and those who would come after him, he began to write down his experiences. Over time, it became a sort of guide to the Labyrinth." He stepped forward and slide his hand across her back, gently turning and guiding her to the nest of pillows on the bed at the center of the room. She still looked uncertain and he had to fight with himself to remove his hands.

Surreptitiously pushing Lancelot under the pillows, he continued to speak. "After the first King passed, the next king continued to add to the guide, and then the next did the same."

Sarah's eyes darted toward the pillow that now hid Lancelot. Jareth remained silent. She would make her own assumptions, regardless of what he said about it. He would not mention it, although he resolved to tell her the truth if she asked. He eyes eventually came to rest on the tome in his lap. "How many have written in it?"

"I am the thirteenth King to write in this book," he told her. "Until now, however, there has never been a Champion."

She looked quizzically at him. "What does that have to do with the book?"

Jareth took a deep breath. "There is a part of this book that is only for the Champion of the Labyrinth to read, should there ever be one. It was written by the first ever king. It has passed from ruler to ruler, finally coming into my possession. Now, I can share this with you and only you, Sarah. For all these years, no one has set eyes on the contents of that section."

He watched her expression carefully, hoping that she would be able to process what he was telling her. If she ran now, all would be lost. Her gaze was steady and Jareth let out a breath he hadn't even known he was holding. "Are you ready to learn what you need to know to be the Champion of the Labyrinth in truth and not just in name?"

He kept his voice soft and questioning as he asked that final question. He wanted to push her into giving him the answer he needed, but he also couldn't afford to push too hard and scare her off. He needed her. Saving the Labyrinth was something he could no longer do on his own.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

In another part of the Labyrinth, a lone figure surveyed the strewn bodies around the clearing. Hissing in impatience, he lifted the Heart of the Labyrinth to his face, whispering ancient forbidden magic into its torn surface.

As he finished speaking, Ludo and several goblins suddenly rose, their bodies twitching violently before they stilled, their eyes glowing red.

The figure smirked and leaned back against the stone carved in the shape of a woman.

He conjured an image of Jareth and Sarah with his hand and cast it up for them to see.

"Go fetch," he commanded and as one, they took off in a flash, no longer the kind creatures of Sarah's past.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah stared at Jareth and swallowed, overwhelmed with what Jareth was telling her. She took a deep breath and pushed everything out of her mind but the knowledge that the Labyrinth and her friends needed her help. She couldn't let her friends or the Labyrinth succumb to the dark magic that was afoot and effecting the Labyrinth.

"Yes," she whispered, looking down at the book and nodding her assent.

Jareth gently placed the tome on her lap and opened it to the page that began the chapter reserved for the eyes of the Champion only. Before, when he had turned past this section of the book, the pages had stuck together, stubbornly refusing to open. Now, in the presence of the Champion, they turned easily, allowing him to find the correct place for her.

When she began to read, Jareth reluctantly began to rise from his place next to her, not wanting to distract her. He paused and slid Lancelot out from under the pillow. He intended to put him on the shelf while Sarah was occupied but changed his mind. He carefully placed the bear next to Sarah. "I thought you might like an old friend to keep you company as you take this all in. I know- I know that I'm not really what you would consider a friend. Considering our past interactions. For what it's worth, I'm sorry I seemed such a cad to you at the time. Duty aside, I always thought you were something special. Especially when I would watch your plays in the park." He smiled a little wistfully. "Even then you had a magic that was purely you."

Sarah's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open slightly. She stared at him, her glorious eyes fixed on his face as he spoke. When he mentioned her plays in the park a flush suffused her face, and she looked away, biting her lip.

He let out a long sigh "I'm sorry, Sarah. I'll let you focus on the task at hand." He turned from her and walked slowly away. Quietly picking up the mess strewn around the room and allowing her the time and space she needed.

Sarah smiled faintly, glancing back at Jareth's retreating form as she gently took the teddy bear in her fingers and pressed it against her chest. She opened her mouth to explain that they both were at fault for their last encounter, but found herself unable to begin. With a sigh, she forced her attention back to the tome instead. There would be time for explanations and apologies later. Right now, they had a crisis to deal with. She caressed the pages of the ancient book in her lap. This book held the answers she had been seeking since she returned. Although she was frightened, she resolutely began reading.

'Champion -  
Firstly, **congratulations**. You have bested the Labyrinth and it's King, no easy feat.  
Secondly, with your win comes no small amount of power. As with the King, when a certain amount of will is pressed upon the labyrinth, a bond of sorts is formed. You will be linked to the Labyrinth just like it's King.  
Be wary, Champion. This is a great responsibility.  
Inside your heart is the bridge to the Aboveground. It is no longer a single source of power for the King but a shared one between the two of you. Should another control it, all that is will cease.  
Replace that which has been stolen and the land will heal. In order to seal the wound, you will need two essences and a pure wish of pure selflessness.'

Sarah stilled, blinking. What the hell did that mean?

As Sarah read, Jareth quietly wrestled with his emotions, berating himself for not having better control. It was difficult with Sarah right here, sitting on his bed in this most private of places. Even now with her eyes firmly fixed on the book in her lap, Jareth could feel their magics mingling.

It was frustrating to have her so close but so distant at the same time. Despite the pain it caused him, Jareth was forced to all but shut her out while they focused on trying to find a solution to the terrible things happening to his kingdom. Frankly, there needed to be a bond of trust between the king and the Champion. How was he supposed to expect her to trust him when theirs was not a relationship that had started out with trust? Bloody hell, this was such a mess! For all he knew, she still viewed him as the villain, her rescue of him notwithstanding. His shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes against the pain in his heart. Such a pity!

"I...I have no idea what this means, Jareth." She glanced back at him and frowned, suddenly seeing the warring emotions on his face.

"Hey," she whispered, grabbing his attention. "It's going to be ok. We'll fix this."

She smiled at him but he made no reply save for a small, wistful smile. Something about the way their eyes met made Sarah flush and look away for a moment, suddenly shy. Pushing her sudden bashfulness aside, Sarah pointed to the entry in the book. "What's this..."

Before she could continue, something shattered in the distance.

Jareth tensed and grabbed her hand, a startled look in his eyes. "Run!"

She didn't have to be told twice, grabbing the tome and taking off with him down a corridor across the room, the sound of maniacal laughter following them.

Jareth held her hand tightly and kept them moving as the side wall of his private sanctum shattered in an explosion of cavern wall and popping magic. He would not let her get hurt. Her smile had given him hope, and he would protect that hope with every last ounce of life and magic within him.

They ran without looking back. Jareth threw crystal balls in every direction, summoning every Labyrinth guardian still at his disposal to aid in their escape. It wouldn't hold the darkness back for long, but it might give them a chance to escape and regroup once more. Hopefully, they would be able to outrun their stalker again, giving him a chance to answer Sarah's questions.

Jareth continued casting magic as they ran, but the strain was slowing him down. He was now using his own magic, not the magic of the Labyrinth. With the Heart in evil hands he'd been forced to revert back to magic's that he had not used since the late seventeen hundreds. The magic of the Labyrinth had been his to command for centuries, yet now he found himself cut off from it, save what flowed through Sarah.

He conjured another crystal and threw it straight in the face of the large goblin menacing Sarah. Jareth could feel himself weakening. He resolved to fight it off as long as he could. He looked over his shoulder, doing his best to remain calm, despite the rabble that was chasing them.

Jareth entwined his gloved fingers with hers and squeezed her hand softly. "I promise I will do my best to answer your questions as soon as I can," he panted, finding it difficult to speak while running. "But right now, I need you to trust me. This is going to be a bumpy ride, and you will have to be as close to me as possible when we make this next jump."

Sarah nodded, too winded to speak. She flinched as she felt all the chaotic magic being released around her, dodging sharp talons, nails, and hands as they made their escape. She caught a brief glimpse of Ludo amongst the mass of angry bodies. She had just opened her mouth to call to him when he roared, his eyes glowing red, the walls of the castle beginning to shake.

Fear filled her and she let out a small shriek as a falling rock grazed her shoulder. Jareth pulled her against him sheltering her with his free arm for a moment, not letting go of her other hand. "Please trust me, Sarah," he whispered in to her ear.

Hearing him, she calmed slightly. He let her go and stepped away once her fear was once again under control. A focused look crossed his face as he stared at the rock wall in front of them. With another blast of magic, Jareth somehow seemed to carve them a path through the very the earth itself. She saw the strain around his eyes and when he squeezed her hand, something happened.

She blinked and felt a fissure of power skate up her arm. Focusing, she pushed back on it, seeing the surprise on Jareth's face before a faint grin.

"Keep doing that, Sarah! Hurry now, we're almost there!"

Her magic flowed like wildfire through his veins. For a moment, he felt as though he were glowing with the power of it as he utilized it to create a bubble around them. They surged forward, pushing through everything in their path. They were both scared, but Jareth clamped down on his fear. Pushing more and more of their combined magic into propelling them forwards, breaking through every obstacle in their path.

He could still feel them being followed, but her magic had them moving at a pace that left the others in the dust. Generally, this kind of travel was only possible for the most powerful of the fae. He found himself both astounded and proud of her abilities.

They soon found themselves near the edge of the caverns. Nervously, they stepped through the opening in front of them, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the brighter light. They were near the borders of the Goblin King's realm, very close to one of the gateways that led to Sarah's world.

Jareth slowed their pace, breathing heavily. The strain of handling that much magic was beginning to wear on him and he was not sure he could keep it up much longer while still protecting Sarah.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

As they came to a stop, Jareth erected a barrier to shield their presence from spying eyes, both physical and magical. His shoulder slumped in exhaustion when he finished. He took several deep breaths, fighting to control himself and remain on his feet at the same time. The threat to Sarah had him nearly losing control, and he didn't want to do that. He glanced over to see Sarah also breathing heavily, but otherwise unharmed. His heart sounded loud in his ears as he gazed at her. No, he needed to remain in control. He would not lose himself. Not in front of Sarah.

The shadowy figure stepped into the hidden room at the castle, his reactivated golems keeping guard. Running a finger over the discarded teddy bear with a snort, he threw it back towards the giant stone sentries, who ground the stuffed animal to fluffy shreds in their mouths.

Glancing towards the escape route used by the King and the Champion, he whistled faintly. A few goblins appeared in answer to his summons. He raised a dark eyebrow, his black skin tone and mass of navy hair the epitome of impatience. "Where are they?" He ground out.

They said nothing, simply staring.

His lips thinning, he squeezed down on the heart in his hand and the creatures screamed, then simply turned into a fine dust that scattered to the floor.

Turning back to the golems, he snarled. "Guard the borders. No one escapes. Take hostages." He smiled cruelly. "Use some of their friends. If they try and escape, kill the hostages...painfully."

The golems left to do their master's bidding.

"Jareth…" he looked up to find Sarah watching him once more, the ancient book clutched protectively against her chest.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, still struggling to recover from the use of so much of his own personal magic. Sarah held out the book. "What does this all mean, Jareth?"

He sighed and was about to answer her when the pain roared through him. Sarah gasped as he fell to one knee with a deep grunt. He clenched his teeth, fighting the pain that ripped through his chest as the dark fae mercilessly squeezed the Heart of the Labyrinth. He was deeply connected to all of the beings in his kingdom. It was another unspoken aspect of being bound to the Labyrinth. He felt the pain of her denizens as his own. As the goblins were destroyed by the dark fae, Jareth felt each and every tiny explosion that turned them into dust as though it was happening to him. Eventually he could no longer remain silent. The barrier around them fell as he howled in agony, the sounds emerging from his chest half human and half avain.

Beside him, Sarah also cried out. Doubling over as some of the pain was transferred to her through their newly forged connection. Dimly he was aware that her newly acquired affinity for the Labyrinth was also to blame for the fact that she was sharing in this torment, but he was suddenly too enraged to think clearly. She should not have to feel this pain.

He clutched his heart and fury exploded out of him, tears stinging his eyes. He gasped, seething, as the torture continued. "You will pay for this destruction," he ground out through gritted teeth, his voice guttural. "For every single thing you destroy and every being you kill I will visit the fires of hell upon you."

He howled again, his voice crescendoing in a screaming bellow as the wind whipped around his body and his eyes glowed brightly. "For every moment of pain you visit on us, I will rain it back down on you a thousand fold! For everything that you have broken, I will visit such torment upon you that you will beg for the release of death! I will pour my very essence into your body and tear you to pieces from the inside out!"

His voice rose into the sky and thunder crashed above their heads. Beside him, Sarah sobbed in fear and pain. She covered her ears against his booming voice as she fought to block the pain that washed over her.

Jareth lurched to his feet, screaming incoherently, so blinded by rage that he was no longer capable of speech. He was beyond control now. His face began to elongate and his teeth grew larger and sharper, no longer concealed behind human looking lips. His nails became razor sharp talons, ripping through his gloves as his body grew thicker, his natural musculature shredding parts of his clothing. His chest grew broad as a curious down of hairlike feathers grew over his skin. He now looked more animal than fae.

The dark figure was now close enough to hear the faint roars of Jareth's rage with his own ears rather than hearing the echoes through the Heart of the Labyrinth. He paused in his pursuit, grinning as he closed his eyes to relish the anger in Jareth's voice. He began to chuckle and then to laugh, his perverse amusement filling the stone tunnel as he opened his eyes and looked toward the light at the far end.

Jareth's sensitive ears picked up the sound of a sinister laugh echoing down the corridor that they had fled through to get here. He swung his head toward the opening, growling as his muzzle was flooded with the scent of their pursuer.

He dark figure began to stalk forward, the Heart held close to his face. He spoke softly, but his cold voice boomed out over the entire Labyrinth. "Idle threats from a weak King with a weak heart," he mocked. "I can feel your love for your pathetic mortal bitch. When I get my hands on her, I'm going to rip her heart out and eat it while you watch."

This sudden reminder of Sarah's presence brought Jareth up short. He was filled with panic as he realized that he had completely lost control. Gripping the edge of his cloak in his taloned hand, he shielded his face from her view, turning away with a despairing cry. His glamour was shattered and he tried to regain his sense of self in vain.

"Please, Sarah. Don't look at me. I- I don't want to frighten you." He couldn't face her. Couldn't bear to see the look of horror on her face as she was confronted, for the first time, with the monster that always lurked just under the surface.

The dark fae heard Jareth's despairing cry and stroked the Heart in his hand. His self satisfied smirk grew wider as he felt the cracks in the Heart grow wider with Jareth's pain and desolation. His smirk twisted into an evil snarl as he dug his own sharp talons into the cracks. Another roar filled the void, this time one of pain.

Sarah stilled, feeling the harsh spike of Jareth's temper like a living thing, staggering back for a moment. She swallowed, her eyes wide as she watched Jareth growl like a wild thing, attempting to gain control of himself.

When he screamed in pain once again, Sarah's own voice joined his. She clutched at her chest as a sharp pain stabbed between her ribs. Tears streamed down her face as the pain continued, worming it's way through her as it sought her heart. Dropping the book, she collapsed on the ground, one hand holding her chest in a vain attempt to block the pain and the other reaching out, trembling, for Jareth.

She'd heard him warn her, but she was beyond caring what he looked like. She was far more terrified of the being that was hunting them than she could ever be of him, no matter what he looked like. She needed him; needed his support and his comforting presence in the face of the agony that flared in her chest.

When he did not take her outstretched hand, Sarah looked up at him, her every movement painful, only to gasp in fear at the sight of the Goblin King.

Sarah sobbed, watching as Jareth once again let out a tormented roar. He slowly crumpled to his knees and then fell forward onto all fours, his head hanging, what was left of his hair hiding his face from her view for a moment. The crunching of his bones as he reverted to a more primitive form startled her. He lurched to his feet, staggering around as his form continued to shift with horrific sluggishness.

Despite her pain, she scrambled away from him with a small cry, not sure whether he would turn on her the moment he was fully transformed. She staggered to her feet, her fear lending her the strength she needed to repel the magical attack on her person. She backed slowly away from Jareth, her eyes never leaving his tortured form as she watched the last traces of fae glamour fade away.

There was no buffer now, nothing to lessen the shock of seeing his feral looking features but Jareth was almost beyond caring. Almost all of his magic was slipping away from him. Although he was still standing on two legs, he was more beast than man. He staggered around, disoriented and in pain as an armor of feathers and bones formed on his body. Vines grew over it all, sprouting from his skin and wrapping themselves around his limbs and torso. He had been part of the Labyrinth for so long that his body now mirrored it's craggy walls.

Jareth knew he looked horrific, and he turned away from Sarah. He did not wanting to see the look of disgust and terror in her eyes as she beheld the monster that lurked within him. His heart broke again and again that she had to endure the sight of him this way. His shoulders slumped as he whimpered in despair, wondering why she hadn't fled from him. He knew she was still there, staring at him. He could hear her rapidly beating heart and her gasping breaths. He could smell her sweet scent, overlayed with the bitterly sharp smell of fear.

Another forlorn whimper escaped him. If she would not run from him, then he would go. He started to stagger away from her, only to stop short as the scent of their enemy once again flooded his senses. If he left her now, she would be helpless against the dark fae that stalked them.

He threw back his head and roared angrily. When he turned to face her, he saw the color drain from her face as she flinched back from him. He took two steps toward her and was shocked when she held her ground, despite the smell of dread that rolled off her in waves. Hoping to scare her into fleeing, he stared directly at her, growling. "You should run, Sarah. Don't look, just go."

She didn't even waver. "I- I can't go. He's coming." she glanced beyond him, toward the tunnel where the shadows were writhing, growing closer and closer by the second.

Jareth spoke again, his voice now raw and guttural; far deeper than it had been before. Loss and anger edged his tone as he spoke the most painful words he had ever uttered. "This is what I really am Sarah. There is nothing pretty about this." He turned away from her, no longer willing to watch the emotions that chased each other across her features as she watched him.

"I am nothing more than a villain...a monster. It's why I asked you if you trusted me. I don't expect you to do so now. Now that you- that you've seen me as I truly am." His voice grew softer and the anger began to bleed out of his voice, leaving only pain and heartbreak. "You don't live as part- as part of the Labyrinth without- without… becoming…"

He hid his face in his gnarled hands as his voice trailed off. He began to move away from her, toward the tunnel, toward the danger. "Go, Sarah. I will stop him here."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Sarah didn't move. She just stared at him, rooted to the spot as she tried to process his words and what he had become. It didn't make sense. He looked, well, he certainly didn't look like the Jareth she remembered. But those eyes. Those mismatched eyes were still those of the Goblin King that she remembered. No matter what the rest of him looked like, those eyes still held her captive.

She coughed to get his attention. He paused and turned back toward her, still averting his eyes. She wrung her hands anxiously as she took a half step toward him. "Jareth, look at me," she pleaded.

He glanced up at her face and their eyes locked. Sarah stared into his eyes, keeping her gaze locked on them because those eyes were Jareth, not the rest of what he had become. "I… ah… you- you… looking like this..." She waved a hand to indicate his current form. "You scare me." Her voice was small as she made the admission, but she did not look away.

He started to turn away but she darted forward to place herself directly in front of him again. "You scare me," she repeated, "But that thing back there, scares me even more." She pointed behind him, to where he could sense the rapid approach of the enemy.

"Sarah-" he began, but she cut him off.

"I need answers, damn it, and you have them! So as long as you dont bite me, or tear me to pieces, I think we can work something out between us..." Hesitantly she brought her hand up and cupped his cheek feeling the smooth vines rub up her fingertips as she couldn't help but notice how soft the feathers were on his face. "You scare me, but I know that inside this… it's you, Jareth. And I- I trust you. Now pull your head together and tell me what this all means."

He was completely shocked as she touched him without fear, despite the fear he could see in her eyes. His eyes widened as he realized that she was truly going to stand here at his side, despite the way her looked. His battered heart swelled. His Sarah… his ever adventurous and determined Sarah, was right here in front of him. She was willing to stand beside the monster he had become to save them all. He almost told her then, of what was in his heart, but there was no time. She had commanded him to tell her what she needed to know.

The soft feeling of her hand on his cheek intensified as she caressed it gently and Jareth leaned into the feeling slightly. He took a shuddering breath. "Read what it says," he told her gruffly. "I'll do my best to explain it. Hurry!"

She withdrew her hand and bent down to scoop up the tome she had dropped earlier. As she read from the book, the lingering feel of her touch was a distraction, one that he was unwilling to banish just yet. He savored it, even as he focused on the words she was reading. When she got to the end, she repeated the last part, and Jareth could hear the frustration and confusion in her voice.

"... 'Inside your heart is the bridge to the Aboveground. It is no longer a single source of power for the king, but a shared one between the two of you. Should another control it, all that is will cease.  
Replace that which has been stolen and the land will heal. In order to seal the wound, you will need two essences and a pure wish of pure selflessness…' I don't understand, Jareth!"

She closed the tome and looked at him, waiting for him to speak. A tremor rippled through the ground and they both glanced back toward the darkness spilling out of the tunnel. They were nearly out of time.

Jareth thought quickly about what she had said. He thought he knew what needed to happen, but his heart broke at the thought. Hoping that he was wrong, he launched into a brief explanation of what the passage told her as he prepared to meet their enemy. "We are bonded, you and I- to the Labyrinth and to each other. Magic flows between us, yours into me and mine into you, and we both share in the lagic of the Labyrinth itself."

"So, I… control the Labyrinth just like you?"

Jareth nodded. "Yes, but with the Heart in the hands of the enemy our power in that regard is limited. We must regain the Heart or the Goblin Kingdom will fall into darkness, along with the other kingdoms in the seven realms. As the guardians of the Labyrinth, it is our task to protect both your realm and mine: the human world and the fae world."

He glanced over at her, trying to gauge her reaction to what he was telling her. She was staring intently at him, her face betraying nothing of what she was feeling. He sighed. The next part would be the hardest to tell her. "We must take back the Heart and return it to the Labyrinth. Without it, she cannot heal. However, it will require more than just the Heart. We are bound to her and the Labyrinth will need the essence of both the Champion and the King to heal."

"And the last part?" Sarah asked softly.

"A wish of pure selflessness…" Jareth said softly. "It will- it will also require a… sacrifice." He spoke slowly, hoping she she would understand what needed to be done. He couldn't bear to speak any plainer of what would be required. "Only then will the Goblin Kingdom be made whole and protected once again."

He couldn't look at her. Bitterly, he regretted that she had come back. He berated himself for not being able to protect her, the kingdom, or the Labyrinth. Then he heard her determined whisper and his heart sank, even as he rejoiced in her strength.

"I'll do it... Now that I know what's expected... I'll- I'll do it.. I'll help you protect the Labyrinth and the seven realms from this asshole." Her voice grew stronger as she continued. "I'll put him 6 feet under if I have to. Did you see what he did to Ludo, nobody touches my friends and gets away with it. I'm gonna kick his evil ass." She spat, the venom in her voice surprising him.

He glanced over at her, smirking as best as he could with a mouth full of fangs. "That's the Sarah I know"

She looked up at him and winced "That's kinda scary when you do that, no smirking until you're back in the form I remember, 'kay?"

A crash distracted them. They both snapped their heads toward the sound, bracing themselves for whatever was coming. Jareth snarled in frustration. "So much for getting a breather."

A patch of earth nearby crumbled into dirt as two golems emerged, dragging Hoggle with them. He struggled in their grip, trying desperately to free himself.

Sarah screamed, stiffening in fear as she saw them squeeze the dwarf's neck painfully, lifting him up so that his feet dangled above the ground. One of the creatures turned it's dark red gaze to Sarah and opened its mouth. A voice issued from the wide jaws, a voice that was certainly not from the golem.

"Come to me at the heart of the Labyrinth, Sarah. Or more will die."

"Sarah, don't do it! You don't know what he'll do to y —" Before Hoggle could even finish his sentence, a horrible wet tearing noise filled the air and Sarah screamed in pain as she watched Hoggle being torn apart and eaten, piece by piece, by the golems.

Jareth was enraged. In his true form he was as strong, if not stronger than, the golems. In a whirl of feathers, vines, and moldering earth, he tore at the stone creatures. Reducing them to mere rubble.

Sarah simply knelt down and hugged her head to her knees, sobbing as she replayed the death of her best friend over and over in her mind's eye.

Raging, Jareth shredded the golems with his talons. He screamed his challenge at the swirling clouds above, confronting their enemy as he dug the hardened bones of his talons into the last of the stone golems.

"Coward! Are you too scared to fight us face to face?" There was no reply save for an intense swirling in the clouds above them. Snarling, Jareth whirled around, searching for another enemy to vent his rage upon. "If you think you can break us with such a pitiful display, you will find that you are sorely mistaken!"

Thunder rumbled and lightning struck the earth close by. Jareth laughed without mirth, his guttural voice lowering as he looked over at Sarah. "If you want the Champion so badly, then come and take her!" As he issued that final challenge, he curled up around Sarah, sending his essence rippling out around them in a protective circle.

He held her close, shifting the vines that grew over his body to that all she touched were the soft feathers that covered him. He pulled her into his lap, rocking her as she sobbed despairingly at the loss of her friend. "Shhhhh," he crooned. "You were his best friend, Sarah. You cared about him when no one else did. Hoggle would have given anything to protect you." He pressed his forehead against hers and overlaid the memory of Hoggle's death with those of all of his conversations with the guardian since Sarah had left the Underground with Toby.

"If you want his death to have meaning then we _must_ take back the Heart." Although his words were harsh, his voice was soft as he held her. To soften the blow of his seemingly callous words, he shared his own sorrow at the death of the dwarf with her. "If you want to end this then we must brace ourselves, because more will die if we don't stop him."

His words didn't lessen the blow of losing Hoggle in such a violent fashion, but they did give Sarah the strength she needed to go on. Slowly her sobs ceased and she sat limply in his embrace. "I hate him," she whispered fiercely. "I will hurt him as he has hurt my friends, and even you won't be able to stop me, Jareth." Her hands clenched for a moment before she took a deep breath and pulled away from him.

Jareth wanted nothing more than to keep her safe in his arms, but he let her go. Wiping her eyes she stood and loudly announced, "Listen up, asshole. You want me, come get me. Because I'm not impressed with your smoke and mirrors. Honestly, I don't think you can beat me. You're nothing!" Her eyes flashed, all trace of tears gone as she allowed her anger to take over. She screamed up into the sky, "All this is just a piece of cake, you bastard!"

Jareth shook his head and and sighed as he stood, the vines shifting to cover his body once again. "That's going to get his attention. If you want to hit a fae where it hurts most, then you go after their pride."

The clouds roiled angrily, lighting flashing garishly from cloud to cloud before crackling toward the ground with a smell of ozone. The blast hit so close that they struggled to maintain their footing. Sarah and Jareth froze as the sneering voice of the other fae followed quickly after the flash, echoing all around them. "You seem to forget, weakling King, that it is _I_ who hold the Heart of the Labyrinth, not **you**. Your Champion is a fine prize, yes, but I don't need her to fight you. With this Heart, your fetid creatures are MINE to command. Shall I demonstrate?"

The earth shook again, and all around them, endless creatures spewed out of holes that appeared in the ground. Some they recognized, and others they didn't. Sarah's immediate bravado faded as several grabbed her, pulling her away from Jareth.

He howled, lunging for Sarah, but it was too late, she'd already been consumed by the earth and carried away.

A short burst of laughter rose from the corridor as he dug frantically at the earth. "Like I said, all bark and no bite. Such a pity."

Just like that - the creatures were gone - and so was Sarah.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

As soon as he was sure that the attention of the other fae was no longer on him, Jareth grinned, his savage teeth gleaming. This was what he had hoped the other fae would do. Now that Sarah was no longer with him, he was free to unlock the last fetter that bound him away from access the ancient magic that only the bonded King of the Labyrinth could use. As soon as Sarah had read what was written in the ancient tome, he knew that it would come to this. With the champion taken and the Heart stolen, his need was dire, and there was but one recourse left.

Jareth dug his claws into his chest and ripped out the eternity pendant that had melded with his flesh during his transformation. He crushed it in his hands, unleashing a cascade of blue sparks that flowed up his arms and suffused his entire body in their glow. Their effect was almost instantaneous.

Everywhere the ancient magic touched, his flesh turned to stone. When the transformation was complete, Jareth looked down at himself, checking himself over as he steeled his heart for what he must do next. His body had been transformed into a living gargoyle, covered in glowing runes. He spread the wings that had sprouted from his back and launched himself into the air. Heading for the center of the Labyrinth, where he could feel his enemy waiting.

The ancient runes that covered his body glowed brightly as he traveled, filling his senses. The longer their timeless magic coursed through him, the more attuned he became to the Labyrinth. By the time he landed in front of the statue that once held the heart of the Labyrinth, very little of Jareth himself remained.

Sarah tried to scream as she was pulled through the earth, but every time she did, dirt filled her mouth and choked her cries. Eventually, the nightmarish journey ended and she she felt the earth give way to fresh air once again.

She was forced violently from the earth and thrown to the ground in the clearing at the center of the Labyrinth. As she coughed and sputtered, trying to fill her lungs with air and expel the dirt from her airway, the dark fae that had hunted her approached. He stood over her. Watching her struggle for a moment before nudging her with his foot.

Sarah glared up at him before another coughing fit overtook her. He chuckled and crouched down in front of her, cocking his head to one side as he regarded her with interest. He ignored the enraged glare she shot toward him and touched the crown of her head gently.

"Such a fuss for a little thing like you," he murmured thoughtfully. He raised his voice and addressed her directly. "I'm sad to say, I'm a little disappointed in you, Sarah. You've weakened the Labyrinth, it's King, and thus our realms. I can't abide weakness, you see. Come, come. Let's end this."

He grasped her hair and dragged her up to face him. Sarah clenched her jaw and refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing her cry out. Her anger ignited as she stood before him and he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. She narrowed her eyes as he stroked her cheek softly with his free hand, the anger inside her growing into a burning rage at the memory of what he had done to the Labyrinth, her friends, and Jareth himself. When he smirked, the tenuous control she had over her anger snapped.

She spit in his face.

He simply smiled, then backhanded her, making her sway in his grip. He removed his hand from her cheek and reached into the folds of his long coat. Despite the pain of the blow, Sarah gasped as he drew the Heart of the Labyrinth out of an inner pocket.

Holding the Heart in one hand and taking a firm grip on her upper arm with the other, the dark fae turned toward the statue at the center of the Labyrinth. He yanked her forward, only to stop abruptly, his attention riveted on the massive gargoyle that was circling above them.

As Sarah stared in awe, wondering where the creature had come from. Her captor brought the Heart to his lips. Once again, he whispered dark, ancient spells into its depths. Sarah stiffened at the menacing tone of the the magic, the mere sound of his words nauseating her.

In response to his spell, every creature in the Labyrinth immediately stood at attention, their eyes glowing red, and threw themselves at the gargoyle that was now landing in front of the ruined statue.

"One thing I can give that King of yours credit for," the fae whispered threateningly into her ear. "He certainly possesses a creative spirit. At least this last little show of his will be fun to watch."

Sarah jerked in surprise and looked closely at the gargoyle, her heart contracting as she took in what Jareth had done to himself. The fae holding her chuckled. "Yes, that's your Goblin King. Don't worry, he can't possibly win. We'll watch him die together before I eat your pretty little heart out. Only then can I undo the awful weakness that you two have been allowed to foster unchecked."

Sarah sagged in his grip, her heart sinking as she saw the Labyrinth's denizens charging at their king with murder in their glowing red eyes. Tears poured down her cheeks at the futility of it all.

As he landed right in front of the statue of the Labyrinth, Jareth wasted no time in doing what needed to be done. He looked at the ruined statue, reaching out to place a hand on the open gash in her stone form as he made a single wish. He watched the ancient magic that suffused him streaming into the statue, taking most of his essence with it.

With this finished, he gave himself up fully to the ancient magic that roared through him and began tearing apart everything that attacked him. He was little more than a vessel for the magic to use as necessary now, everything else was fading. Jareth himself was fading away. He must hurry, or there would be nothing left of who he had been.

The magic was literally consuming him from the inside out. That was part of the price that had to be paid for this kind of power. It was the sacrifice he had known he would have to make as soon as he heard Sarah read from the book. In order to defeat his enemy, he would have to lose himself forever.

He knew the price and had accepted it willingly. In spite of this, he was aware that he was not the only one making the ultimate sacrifice for the Labyrinth. What was left of Jareth mourned their loss as he tore through his subjects, enthralled into attacking him through their connection to the Heart. He could no longer protect them. He strode through the masses, lying waste to everything in his path as he went. There was nothing else he could do for them besides set them free. Just as he was a vessel for the ancient magic, his subjects had become mere vessels for the darkness that his enemy imposed on them. So he ended their torment in the only way he could.

Tears streaked his stone cheeks in spite of his knowledge that he was doing the merciful thing. The last vestige of the fae he had been pushed the grief aside as he focused on the fae that had started all of this, and the woman who stood next to him, practically hanging in his grip. The ancient magic glowed all about him, pouring from the open wound in his chest as he moved closer and closer, his eyes locked on Sarah. Again and again he flung those that attacked him aside as easily as one knocks away a bothersome fly, until he was almost upon Sarah and the fae still in possession of the Labyrinths Heart.

Sarah's gaze jerked up as the gargoyle came to a stop in front of her. She met his eyes briefly before studying the thing that Jareth had become with a kind of morbid fascination. As she gazed at him, she felt a tug around her heart and the realization of what the passage in the book meant washed over her. Suddenly, she understood what Jareth had done, and the sacrifice he had made... the sacrifice he was _still_ making.

She stiffened, shocked to her core at what he had done. She stared in horror as he did all within his power to make sure the fae holding her hostage did not succeed. They stood there, just staring at each other for what felt like forever. Finally, the gravity of his choice seemed to wrestle some final thread of determination out of her. When the fae beside her tensed, preparing to attack, she took her chance.

"Jareth, now!"

She turned, twisting in the fae's grasp. She felt the his talons tear into the soft tissue of her upper arm as she wrestled out of his grip and lunged for the Heart in his other hand. The fae roared in anger and turned towards her. He was too late.

Using every ounce of her strength, Sarah slammed into him. She let out a pained cry as the impact left her battered and bruised. Blood flowed down her arm from the gashes left by his talons as the dark fae went flying, slamming into the chest of the stone gargoyle that had been Jareth. The Heart flew from his grasp at the impact and Sarah scrambled to scoop it up.

She recovered the Heart and held it to her chest for a moment, steeling herself for what she had to do now. Taking a deep breath, Sarah ran up to him and shoved the spiked end of the stone Heart as hard as she could through the center of the dark fae's chest, impaling him against Jareth's form.

"That's for my friends, you piece of shit," she snarled.

The gargoyle stood unmoving as the stone of the Heart slid clear through the fae and into his own chest, sliding through the stone of his body like butter.

The fae stared, shocked at the hole in his chest, through which only a glimpse of the heart could be seen. Bubbles of blood lined his mouth as the life in his eyes began to fade.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Sarah fell back, staggering slightly in shock at the ease with which the heart punched through her enemy's chest. As the realization that she had shoved the Heart clear through the dark fae and into Jareth began to dawn on her, the very last shred of Jareth himself flickered into the gargoyles eyes as it stared into her own.

The last of his own identity rose in the gargoyle that Jareth had become as he stood there, dying in front of Sarah. Rage filled him. Rage at the situation, at the dying fae that had dared to try and take his kingdom, and at the loss of his humanity. Jareth decided that he was not going to die without taking his rage out on the cause.

The dying fae pinned to his chest had tried to take everything from him. Now, he would have his vengeance.

Jareth plucked him from his chest, ripping the dark fae from the wide end of the Heart as he did so. Ignoring the massive hole that he had just torn in the back of the helpless fae, Jareth bit into him, tearing out his throat out. As the blood gushed from the throat of his adversary, Jareth blew the tiniest fraction of his essence into the fae that hung from his grasp, watching with satisfaction as it tore him apart from the inside. He let the final pieces of the now destroyed fae fall to the ground, turning his attention to Sarah.

Jareth dropped to his knees, reaching for Sarah with tears rolling down his face. The last of his essence started to dissipate. As it did, his body slowly reverted back to his fae form, feathers drifting to the ground around him. He struggled to speak now, his face going stiff as the life poured out of him, oozing around the Heart embedded in his chest.

"I… I love you... Sarah. I- I've always loved you... from the… first time I ever… saw you … in the park. I never… never wanted… anyone… else. Even when... you rejected me and I… broke… inside." His breathing grew labored and he struggled to continue. "Thank you... for trusting me... and not see- seeing me as... the monster... I became."

He could see the tears pouring down Sarah's face, even as his vision went dark. Her hand came up and caressed his cheek, sliding easily over his now smooth skin. He drew another breath, knowing that it would be his last. Sarah had to lean in hear him as he whispered, fighting to get each word out, "Don't cry… I will... love you forever... My Queen. Rule... the Goblin... Kingdom... well."

He fell heavily to his side, away from Sarah's hand still pressed against his cheek. His eyes closed one last time, his lashes settling against his cheek as he slipped away. Something clattered to the ground as his grip on it loosened. Slowly, Sarah bent down and picked it up. It was the eternity pendant he always wore. Her tears fell faster as she examined it, but she fought them back, wanting to be strong. Any moment now, Jareth would open his eyes and she would help him up. They would head back to the castle and everything would be alright again.

Idly, she turned the pendant over. As she looked at the back, she slowly made out a fresh engraving in the metal. It read: Hiam grav let Mo amnam. As she read it, Sarah slowly became aware that she could understand the strange language by instinct. She read it again, automatically translating it roughly into English as she went.

~I love you, my soul.~

Time seemed to stop for Sarah. Everything was quiet. She looked down at Jareth as he lay on the ground before her, looking as though he were sleeping peacefully. She dropped to her knees, reaching out, her hand shaking, to touch his wrist. He felt like living stone.

In that moment, Sarah understood. She understood what he had done, and why he had done it. The depth of his feelings for her became crystal clear, and Sarah understood what she had just lost. At this realization, she broke.

Trying frantically to rouse him, knowing all the while that it was useless, Sarah screamed out her grief in heartbreaking wails. "No! No, no, NO! You're not supposed to die. You can't die! Not now! This is NOT how it ends! JARETH!"

Her strength gave out in the face of her grief, and she sobbed, slumped over his still form. As she felt him slowly completing his transformation to stone, she spoke to him, her words coming in broken phrases now.

"Jareth… please… please don't… I can't… not without you… don't.. don't go. His lips smiled softly, as though he could hear her, and then they, too, turned to stone. He was gone. Nothing remained but a statue under her hands.

Sarah sat back on her heels, her head bowed over her hands which clutched the pendant to her chest in an attitude of prayer. Her tears blocked her ability to see Jareth and she blinked them away, only to have her eyes refill a moment later. She no longer sobbed. Her grief had gone beyond such things. Only the tears remained, hiding the world around her behind a shimmering curtain of misery.

For a moment, the entire Underground stilled as the Labyrinth grieved for the loss of her ruler. The silence hung in the air, heavy and still, and then it passed as a new sense of purpose flooded the Labyrinth. Sarah, wrapped up in her own grief, didn't notice.

The change came on so gradually, and she was so deep in her bereavement, that she missed the first signs. The runes and crystals around her, which had gone dark at the death of the King, slowly flickered back to life. The statue of Jareth began to glow. The heaviness in the air lifted, as though the Labyrinth was taking a deep, cleansing breath to rid itself of the darkness that had enshrouded it since Sarah returned.

As the glow from the statue before her grew brighter and brighter, it pulled Sarah out of her own heartbreak. She blinked away her tears, gasping as the statue rose up from it's prone position in front of her. She struggled to her feet, staggering back as the statue of Jareth suddenly ignited into brilliance. The light was so intense that she had to shield her eyes from the blinding glow.

It only lasted a moment before the light dissipated once more. When she dropped her hand and opened her eyes, the old statue of the woman was gone, replaced by the stone figure of Jareth, his stone lips still smiling gently, a peaceful look on his face.

At the expression on his stone face, Sarah's sorrow came flooding back. She stood before the statue, looking up at his motionless face. She still had not noticed the magic that was starting to swirl around her.

The magical glow of the runes and crystals gained intensity as the power of the Labyrinth slowly rose. At first it merely trickled into the grief struck woman. That trickle slowly turned into a torrent, and Sarah cried out, shocked at the rush of magical energy that filled her. The power of the Labyrinth shifted fully to her as she stood there before it's Heart. All around her the runes and crystals flared brightly as lines of power shot from one to the other, connecting to the stone statue that Jareth had become.

She looked around in wonder as the Labyrinth restored itself. Furtive movements caught her eye. Slowly creatures began to emerge from the tunnels all around. Seeing that a few of the denizens of the Labyrinth had survived, her tears came afresh. They surrounded her, their heads hanging in mourning.

They crowded around, more and more creatures arriving, unseen by Sarah. Those that could reach her, patted her awkwardly. Those who couldn't get to her, murmured quietly, trying to comfort her in her distress. The murmurs gradually built, until they were all chanting, "Goblin Queen... Ruler of the Labyrinth... Protector of the Realm..."

Gradually, their accolades penetrated her grief. Raising her head to behold her subjects crowding around, she raised her hand for quiet. Instantly, the crowd fell silent. Thoughts and words filled her mind, but nothing came out of her mouth. Sarah cleared her throat and tried again, wanting to say something to honor Jareth, but her heart was simply too heavy. Her hand dropped and slumped to the ground once more.

"My lady?" A soft voice called to her, drawing her attention. She looked up. It was Sir Didymus. She tried to smile but couldn't, her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

Jareth was dead. He'd died to save her and the Labyrinth. How could she ever smile again?

"Yes?" She sniffed, trying to wipe away her tears.

"My Lady, I may be overstepping my bounds, forgive me, but...you can change this."

Sarah blinked, glancing up at the statue above her before looking back a Didymus. "H-How?"

Sir Didymus smiled. "Time, My Lady. You can alter time."

She looked at Didymus in shock, her eyes going wide in realization. Suddenly, she lunged forward, grabbing the startled fox knight and hugging him tightly.

Releasing Didymus, she stood, looping the chain that dangled from the pendant around her neck and caressing the pendant for a moment before dropping her hands. "Wish me luck!" The creatures crowding around her looking at each other in confusion, not understanding what their new Queen intended.

Sarah closed her eyes tightly as she made a pure hearted, selfless wish before disappearing in a shower of glitter.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

When she opened her eyes, Sarah found herself standing at the edge of the clearing in the center of the Labyrinth. The runes and crystals around her glowed in welcome, recognizing the power of the Goblin Queen. Sarah looked toward the center, seeing the entire kingdom gathered around the statue of the woman that stood proudly in the center, undamaged still.

Sarah searched anxiously for a few moments before she found what she sought. There, striding through the crowd, was Jareth, very much alive and well. Her heart leapt at the sight of him, issuing orders and preparing to battle the dark fae. Sarah glanced up at the sky, noting the quickly approaching storm that loomed just to the east. Even as she watched, the clouds advanced, swallowing the clear sky into their ominous depths. He must be moving quickly. They didn't have much time.

She ran, pushing her way through the denizens of the Labyrinth that got in her way. After several minutes of fighting her way through the crowd, Sarah glanced over at the clouds again. They were even closer than before, and she was still so far from him. "Please move!" she shouted, getting angry. Startled, those around her gaped for a moment before scrambling out of her way. As others became aware of her presence, they opened a path for her, straight to the King.

Jareth looked up just as she cleared the last of the creatures that stood around him. She barely had time to register the look of shocked surprise on his face before she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him tightly and burying her face in his shoulder.

"Sarah?" He hesitated for only a moment before his arms locked around her holding her tightly against him. "Sarah, how-"

She allowed herself a moment to revel in the feel of his strong arms around her before she spoke, her tone urgent. "Please, Jareth, you have to send everyone away." She pulled out of his embrace and looked around. She saw Hoggle, with Mr. Worm on his shoulder, and she remember the grief of the Missus as they trekked through the Labyrinth. Sarah was determined that it wouldn't happen like that this time. She caught sight of Ludo and Didymus, standing close by as well. They all stared at her in wonder, not understanding how she came to be there right before a battle. Sarah smiled quickly at them, watching as Ambrosius snuck off, looking for a place to hide without waiting for his master's command.

"Sarah-" Jareth looked up at the clouds that were starting to cover the sky over their heads. The wind gusted, and everyone shivered. She stepped in front of him, reaching out to take both his gloved hands in her own.

"We can do this, but we have to do it alone." She looked into Jareth's eyes, pleading with him to make sure their people were safe. She spoke softly, as she released one of his hands to touch his cheek gently. "Please, Jareth. We can defeat him together, I know it."

He stared down at her in confusion, even as he leaned slightly into her touch. His eyes roving over her, drinking her in like a man dying of thirst. Then his eyes went wide as he stared at the pendant hanging around her neck. It's twin gleamed on his own chest as he slowly reached out and flipped hers over, revealing the gaelic inscription on the back.

Jareth gasped, raw emotion suffusing his face as understanding dawned in his eyes. His eyes locked with hers and in his mismatched gaze, Sarah saw all the love and protectiveness that had led him to sacrifice himself once already. She caught her breath at the depth of the feelings that shone from his eyes and allowed her own emotions to play freely across her face.

They stood there, communicating in a silent language of expression until thunder cracked overhead and the sky opened up. Torrents of rain washed down over them and Jareth had to yell to be heard over the din.

"It's too dangerous, Sarah! I _told_ Hoggle to tell you it was nothing to worry about."

There was deep concern, and a touch of fear, in his deep baritone voice as he yelled above the sound of the falling rain. Having already faced their coming adversary once, she understood his feelings, but that didn't mean that they didn't still irritate her.

She pulled her hand out of his and glared at him. "Listen up Goblin King I have just been through _real_ dangers untold and hardships unnumbered. I fucking fought my way to the deepest parts of the Labyrinth. I watched my friends die, ripped to pieces in front of me!" The rain slowed but Sarah continued to yell. "I watched the Labyrinth crumble around me! And now you say it's too dangerous!?" The torrential downpour tapered off even further, turning to a slow drizzle as they faced each other, locked in a battle of wills.

She felt the urge to slap him, but resisted. Instead, she reached out and took a firm hold on his face with both hands, gripping his jaw as she berated him, softly now, her recent grief fresh on her mind and evident in her tone. "I fought my way through all of that, only to lose you in the end." He blanched at the sorrow in her tone, reaching out to pull her into his arms once more.

Sarah sighed as he held her. "I need you to _help_ me, Jareth. Stop arguing and help me save us all." She could feel the tension in him as he struggled with his desire to keep her safe. Finally that tension eased and he sighed before he spoke.

"Alright, we will do this together, but understand that I will send you away the minute I think even one hair on your head might be in danger."

He released her and looked around. Raising his voice, he commanded all of the gathered creatures to flee. Thankfully, no one argued. There wasn't time. The ground was trembling and wisps of darkness floated through the Labyrinth as the dark fae tore his way through every barrier.

They were alone for only a moment, just long enough for Sarah and Jareth to share a single look of determination. "Just so you know," Sarah said as they turned to face the approaching threat. "I'll send _you_ away the moment I feel that you're in any danger as well."

Jareth didn't have time to reply. The dark fae stepped out of the far tunnel, immediately invoking his dark magic against them. Sarah smirked and conjured a spell of her own, throwing it toward the enemy in the familiar form of a crystal.

Sarah poured everything she had into the spell as it flew: every bit of sorrow and horror, every injury suffered by her subjects, every single tear she had cried, every fear she had repressed, all the hardships she had faced, her heartache... her anger… her determination… her love. She put all of her strength into a devastating blow that caught her enemy unaware, knocking him to the ground with incredible force.

Jareth blinked for a moment before launching his own furious attack, holding nothing back.

The fae had clearly not been expecting two adversaries, both wielding the power of the Rulers of the Labyrinth against him. The fight was over almost as soon as it began. Sarah stood tall as their enemy fell to his knees before her in submission, Jareth's hand gripping the back of his neck like an iron vise.

She spoke clearly and with purpose as Jareth shackled their enemy. "For crimes against the Underground, for killing a king, and for committing treason against the Goblin Kingdom, I hereby pass judgement as Goblin Queen."

She missed Jareth's hope filled glance at the use of her title.

"I sentence you to be stripped of all magical ability. Your mind will be erased and you shall be exiled to live Aboveground, forever banished from this realm." She conjured a crystal, preparing to carry out the sentence immediately. The prisoner slumped even further to the ground and Sarah paused before casting the necessary spell. Reaching down, she gripped a handful of his hair and jerked his face up to meet her eye. "If you ever return I swear by all the gods that you will regret it," she told him, her voice dripping with menace. "I will not hesitate to plunge a blade through your heart, the next time I lay eyes on you."

Behind the kneeling fae, Jareth spoke. "And if you ever think to attack me or those under my protection again, I will tear you apart from the inside out."

Sarah yanked the handful of hair she held, ensuring that she had the criminals full attention once more. She leaned forward and put her mouth next to his ear. "I've seen him turn into something so horrible it would freeze your blood," she whispered, too low for Jareth to hear. "I watched him destroy the very fiber of your being. Shall I describe it for you? It wasn't pretty."

The fae whimpered and shook his head violently, despite the pain caused by Sarah's tight grip on his hair. "I don't ever want to see you again," she hissed into his ear. Dropping her handful of hair, Sarah stood straight once again. "Do not make me regret my leniency in allowing you to live," she said coldly, just before she smashed the crystal against the side of his head.

The dark fae screamed as he disappeared with an audible -POP-. The gathered crowd of Goblin Kingdom citizens cheered wildly and applauded his banishment. All around Sarah and Jareth, a curious mixture of cheers for them and curses for their enemy could be heard. She and Jareth shared a brief smile of amusement before their attention was pulled elsewhere.

Turning away from Jareth, Sarah walked over to Sir Didymus. She knelt down and gave him a huge hug. "Thank you, my friend. You helped me when I needed it most." Sarah pulled away but held the little creature by the shoulders. "You are my true knight," she told him seriously.

Didymus bowed and then preened with pride as Sarah released him. She turned to Hoggle and hugged him fiercely, blinking back tears at the memory of his gruesome death. "You are the best friend I've ever had, and don't you ever forget it!" She kissed his cheek, causing him to blush and stammer, shooting worried looks at Jareth.

"Sawah Fwiend?" Ludo asked, lumbering up behind her. She laughed. "Yes, Ludo. Friend." She was enveloped in a large hug as she shaggy creature lifted her up in exaltation. When he was persuaded to set her on her feet once again, Jareth stood before her. The crowd fell silent as the Goblin King faced the Goblin Queen.

"Sarah, I-" She placed her fingers gently against his lips, cutting him off. She stepped into his arms, sliding her hands into the hair at the nape of his neck and drawing his face down towards hers.

"Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your Queen," she whispered.

A soft smile spread across his face. "Done," he whispered back before his mouth descended to claim hers. All around them, their subjects cheered wildly.


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Years passed, and Sarah and Jareth never failed to mark the day of their victory over the dark fae with a kingdom wide holiday. The day was always filled with contests and challenges, from rock throwing to baking and brewing. Many songs were written and performed to commemorate the event, and every single one was sure to be heard during the merrymaking. The citizens of the Goblin Kingdom produced plays and reenactments by the score, some of which had even become popular across the seven realms . People came to the Goblin City and the Castle beyond it from far and wide to join in the celebrations. Celebrations that always ended with a bonfire dance and feasting, over which the Goblin King and Queen presided.

One year, many years later, they sat close together at the head table, talking. They were surrounded by visiting dignitaries and guests, both from their own kingdom and from others. A group of children ran past, the Goblin monarch's children among them, and they all laughed.

"I swear the pack of them gets bigger and bigger every year," Sarah said.

Another fae, from the Fairy Kingdom, smiled and gestured to Sarah, "If you keep getting yourself into this situation it won't ever get any better."

Sarah blushed and caressed her stomach, slightly rounded with a blossoming pregnancy. "Yes, ahem, well…" she trailed off, clearing her throat.

Jareth laughed and slid an arm around her, kissing her cheek and causing her to blush even harder. The group laughed as Sarah smacked him playfully. "Not here or I'll banish you to the Bog for the night!"

"Speaking of banishment," another male fae said. "I believe you were telling us the story of how Sarah pronounced sentence on that miscreant before we were rudely interrupted by that herd of wild things running past."

"Ah, yes," Jareth grinned. He loved to tell this story, and his eyes shone with pride for his wife as he spoke. "So she reached down and grabbed him by the hair, forcing his head up…"

Sarah shook her head as Jareth continued the story. When he came to the part where she had whispered in his ear, everyone turned to her.

"What did you say?" the woman from the Fairy Kingdom asked curiously.

Sarah paused, thinking about her answer. Over time, she had told Jareth much of what she had experienced after she climbing through her mirror and into the Goblin Kingdom. There were, however, some things that she could never bear to tell him. She never mentioned the monster he had become, nor did she ever want him to hear about the events that led up to his death and transformation into the living statue at the center of the Labyrinth.

"Sarah?" Jareth leaned toward her, his voice concerned. "Are you all right?"

Sarah looked up at her husband and smiled. "Of course."

Turning to the group, Sarah took up the tale where Jareth had left off. "I leaned down and whispered - If you can't do any better than this at invading a kingdom, then perhaps I ought to relieve you of your ability to sire children. Just to save future generations the embarrassment of their ancestors failure- and as a precaution against future generations looking to finish the job…"

The group roared with laughter, Jareth included, although he shot her an odd glance before he once more continued telling the story.

When everyone else had gotten up to dance, Jareth leaned over. "That wasn't really what you said to him, was it, Precious?"

Sarah sighed and caressed his cheek. "No, dear, it wasn't."

"You aren't ever going to tell me, are you?"

Sarah smiled and leaned in, kissing him deeply. "Probably not. A girl likes to keep some secrets, after all."

-fin-  
********************************************************************************

 **The authors want to thank all the lovely people reading, reviewing, and favoriting their work!**

 **Authors:**

 **AvalonBane  
breejah0923  
HisMajestyJareth  
LilMsDev  
LiteraryRhapsody  
Sarah198026(wattpad)**


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